iLove You
by UDUBer
Summary: A fairly normal story about Freddie and Carly.


"And 5-4-3-2…!" Naturally, Freddie skipped saying "1" at the beginning of every iCarly episode. Carly thought that was weird, but then again, Freddie was weird.

Carly and Sam did their usual skits and dialogue, injecting spirit and sarcasm when needed. They always had fun making episodes of iCarly, but something was different today.

Today, Carly couldn't focus on the show—she kept getting distracted, and Sam had to keep nudging her in the ribs to bring her back to reality. Surely she'd have a bruise there tomorrow.

Carly took a deep breath. She had to concentrate. This show was important to all three of them, and she wasn't going to let them down.

By the end of the show, Carly was glad to be done. She'd been messing up lines and stuttering throughout the whole thing, and it'd been embarrassing. Freddie had a concerned look on his face, but he didn't know what was wrong with her. Sam had an annoyed look on her face, and she had her suspicions about what was going on.

"Carly, we need to talk," Sam said, demanding instead of asking—as usual. "Alone," she stressed, when Freddie was about to follow. Freddie gave her a dirty look and crossed his arms, but he stayed where he was.

Carly and Sam went down the elevator to the living room where Carly flopped onto the couch, and Sam rooted around in the refrigerator.

"When are you going to tell him?" Sam asked, pulling out a container of the ham she always kept in Carly's apartment. She loved ham with a passion.

"Tell who?" Carly said, trying to play dumb. Sam knew her better than that, and rolled her eyes.

"You know who I'm talking about, Carly. You could barely do the show; I was better off having a monkey as my co-host."

"I couldn't help it!" Carly shouted, which was a sign that she was agitated. "Today was supposed to be like any other day, but I couldn't help but notice that he looked different. I've never noticed that he's taller, and he doesn't look like the boy we knew last year. And his voice was deeper! Where's the old Freddie?" Carly was pacing the floor now, raking her hands through her hair.

Sam was lounging on the couch, her Converse-covered feet resting on the coffee table. She was eating ham, but snorted when she heard what Carly said. "It's called puberty, Carly. He must've changed while at that geek camp his mom sent him to last summer."

"But I don't like the new Freddie? He makes my stomach feel funny, and my hands get sweaty whenever he's around. I can't stop looking at him, and I don't like it!" Carly slumped onto the couch beside Sam, who generously handed her a piece of her precious ham.

"Ew, I can't believe you like Freddie. I mean, it's _Freddie_, the boy who never leaves home without getting a tetanus shot."

"I don't like him! I just…okay, I like Freddie. What do I do about it? I can't even do iCarly with him around." Carly dropped her head into her hands.

"As disgusting as this is, I think you should tell him," Sam said, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

"What?! I can't! He's my best friend and therefore off-limits!" But the more Carly thought about it, the more she was convinced that maybe Sam was right.

"Come on, Carly. We all know that Freddie's been in love with you ever since he could talk. I may be insensitive, lazy, and mean, but I saw the way you looked at him today. And I see the way Freddie looks at you when you don't know it," Sam laughed, "Ha, you guys are so stupid."

"But what if it doesn't work? Our friendship would never be the same!"

Again, Sam rolled her eyes. "Face it. Even if you don't tell him, your friendship would never be the same. It's a lose-lose situation." She was right.

"Okay. I'll tell him." As soon as she stopped feeling like she was going to throw up.

Up in the studio, Freddie was busy editing today's episode and didn't notice when Carly came in.

"Uh, Freddie?" Carly was wringing her hands, and she looked nervous.

"Is this about today's show? What's wrong, Carly? You weren't like yourself at all." _You're not like yourself either_, thought Carly.

"I have to tell you something," Carly said, pacing the floor—something she did when agitated.

"What is it?" Sensing that this was important, Freddie closed his laptop.

"Uh, it's about you and me."

When she looked like she wasn't going to say anything else, Freddie said, "You can tell me, Carly. I'm your friend."

"Okay, fine. Are you still in love with me?"

"Yeah, I'll always love you, Carly," Freddie said without hesitation. This gave Carly the courage to say the words that would change their friendship forever.

"Freddie, I think I like you, too. But not like a friend-like, but a like-like, if that even a word—" Carly had been looking anywhere but at him while she was rambling, but if she had she would've seen the smile slowly appear on his face.

There was a long silence. Carly was sure that Freddie could hear her heartbeat because it was thunderous to her ears.

"Carly?" For the first time since she'd admitted her feelings, Carly looked at Freddie. It was still a shock to see how handsome he'd become, and her stomach did a quick flip-flop.

"Yeah?" He walked toward her, and she had to look up to see his eyes.

"Why?" Carly knew that he was asking about how she figured out she loved him back.

"I guess I finally noticed that you looked and acted different from the little Freddie I knew."

Freddie took her hands into his. "That leaves one question: Will you be my girlfriend?"

Carly knew without a doubt what her answer would be. "Yes."

Freddie's face lit up, and he spontaneously leaned in to give her a kiss—only it wasn't the quick peck that he had in mind. It was a kiss of the fireworks variety, and her arms were circled around his neck, his hands on her waist when Sam walked in.

"That's gross, guys. Get a room, will you? I'm about to throw up that ham I ate downstairs, and you know I hate to waste food. Anyone up for smoothies?" Carly and Freddie rolled their eyes, but stayed where they were in their newfound happiness.

THE END


End file.
